Less than 18 months ago it was a beacon of hope across the Middle East as Tunisia, then Egypt and subsequently Libya saw their people rise up against dictatorship.
How tragic it now is to watch recent events in Egypt where the old regime, still rooted in the armed forces and security services, refuses to relinquish power. What has occurred in Cairo over the past few days amounts to a silent coup d'etat. Not only has the elected parliament been dissolved but along with it the powerbase of the Muslim Brotherhood, which won the largest number of seats barely six months ago. Eroded, too, are the aspirations of the revolutionaries of Tahrir Square.
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